Pop

Firstly, as much as I appreciated Syd and Marcus' episodes, it was nice to get back to an outing that deals with almost all of the main players.

Carm is still the heartbeat of this show and placing Claire into the mix has worked wonders. Her presence reveals a somewhat juxtaposition between the life that Carmine could have, one in which he overcomes his lonerism, his anxiety, his stresses, and the life he currently has by staying put within the environment that seems to cause all these problems.

The sequence at the end, when the tone shifts from the somewhat calm, fun atmosphere at the party, back into the claustrophobic tension of the restaurant, then back to Carmine's candy-sweet interactions with Claire - it's a brilliant move that illustrates the two sides of his life. Now Carm is hanging directly in the balance and I'm looking forward to seeing how this develops.

In other moments, Tina had a particularly heartwarming sequence, the opening with Uncle J was hilarious, and Richie was brilliant as per usual. That man's comedic timing is wonderful, and you cannot help but like him despite all his shortcomings.

Great episode. Now onto the big ones that everybody is raving about.

Another sweet episode ruined. This really had a soft and heartwarming feel to it, however....

So, you know like, what I like, really like can't stand? Is when like, you know like, some unitellegible teenager, is all like, talking like an uneducated teenager, and like freaking wind chimes, okaaaaaaay?

Yet another perfect example of how terribly wrong the casting was. Within the first two minutes they have the unbearable Ms. Ayo trying to pass herself off as.... God knows what. She sounds like an annoying teenage girl (I wonder why *that* is?) Horrible, horrible casting.

Then, also within the first 2 minutes of hell, they shamelessly (get it?) Obviously use the tune of the television series "Shameless" starring Jeremy Allen White, when they are doing the stopwatch scene.

This just keeps getting more and more pathetic.

What truly annoys me, this show was made for Gen-X'ers. Let me be absolutely clear: Gen X are NOT millenials. Not by a bloody longshot. Yet this show seems to shamelessly drag itself down to millenial standards.

This entire season so far has been ruined because the writers can't get out of their own way. The constant arguing in the series is basically the same frustration i feel trying to endure most of this convoluted mess.

How can you destroy something that started off so well? Utterly disgusting and yes, shameless.

If they think this is cute, the writers must be sociopaths.

Another 8/10, maybe even a 9/10, taken down to a 5/10 because of lazy writing, editing and casting.

Pathetic.

Get rid of Ayo, she is hopeless, and hopelessly out of place and in over her head. Its not her fault, but she needs to go!

Carmy and Claire's Dynamic is Too Real! 🌟

Review: In Season 2, Episode "Pop," Carmy's relationship with Claire is portrayed with such authenticity that it hits close to home. Carmy's hands-on, intense way of being with Claire felt so real to me. I've been in those moments myself-like when you're all in with someone, even in everyday situations like driving to the post station. It's relatable and raw. The way Carmy navigates his feelings and struggles is both frustrating and captivating, and you can't help but see parts of yourself in him. A brilliant episode that perfectly captures the messiness of love and life.

.... "will they won't they". I didn't even notice that is wasn't there until now where it starts to crawl into every scene.

Yes, I forgot, it is the law, you have to crowbar at the very least one romance with a forced triangle into your plot or you are not allowed to go air, so here it is.

Don't get me wrong, the acting, the soundtrack and the writing are still pretty great, but the intimacy of the setting, the brutal bare visuals, the breathtaking energy that pulled you away, are slowly, but inevitably fading. Weirdly enough also thanks to the the sort of intimacy that I could have done without. And it's way too convenient, and convenience, also known as the plot fairy, was yet another thing that I did not miss. You know, like an internship in Denmark - or school starting right on time when the renovations begin - while they can't get a plumber at the same time.

So far, it has been a struggle for me to get through Season 2 of The Bear. This show was hands down, one of the best shows of 2022. The pacing, writing, acting, and emotional weight is what made Season 1 stand out. As a viewer, the camera work and cinematography really drew you in to Carmy's anxiety and trauma, taking you on a journey of redemption and resolution of family conflict from this one flawed character.

I feel that is what Season 2 should continue to focus on. While I am enjoying the character arch of the supporting cast members, especially Lionel Boyce's Marcus and Ayo Edebiri's Sydney, I feel as if Allen-White's Carmy, has now fallen into the trap of tv cliché's as he is given a love interest so early into the shows journey, which seems a bit lazy, story-wise.

It would have been more compelling to watch Carmy's struggle with the stress of opening a new restaurant, which many can relate to, instead of approaching Ep5 as some 80's teen rom-com. I understand, Claire is meant to be a guiding light in a sense for Carmy to stop and smell the roses once in a while. However, I skipped through most of episode 5 because I could not listen to anymore of the dialogue written for the Claire character, which comes off very inauthentic. Not sure if a season 3 is needed for a once unique show. 5/10.